Decorative screens



July 2, 1968 D. H. WALTERS 3,390,506

DECORATIVE SCREENS Filed Sept. 27, 1965 I50. 1. E ra. 2!

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fuve-wraz. D0-0L0 H "in 72625 i MM W United States Patent 3,390,506 DECORATIVE SCREENS Donald H. Walters, 493 Stanford Drive, Arcadia, Calif. 91006 Filed Sept. 27, 1965, Ser. No. 490,495 Claims. (Cl. 52-663) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention is directed to the formation of decorative screens composed of preformed band-like segments so shaped that identical segments may be oriented and joined together in a wide variety of patterns. Individually the segments are formed to have integrated opposed and intermediate sides curving inwardly at 90 arcuate extent, the sides converging to mergers of their inner curved surfaces beyond which narrow continuances carry fastener sections in addition to fastener sections at the opposed side terminals.

This invention has to do generally with improvements in decorative screens of the'so-called sun screen type, and which are useable outside as well as within buildings to produce decorative effects as well as to serve functional and structural purposes.

More particularly the invention is directed to improvements in such screens composed of preformed band-like metal segments which in the past have had various shapes and designs, and have been joined together to the full screen size. Generally, the individual segments have constituted corresponding complete design units in themselves, and the composite has appeared as duplications of the units in contiguous interconnected relation. And most usually, such units have been continuously bordered, as in the case of circular configurations of one or different sizes, so as to permit only of unit duplication to produce the total screen design.

The present invention is predicated upon the concept of employing an interrupted border segment so shaped that identical segments may be oriented and joined together in a wide variety of patterns giving corresponding variety to total screen designs, while retaining in all instances structural and functional benefits of the assembled screen.

In its preferred form each identical segment is formed of band-shaped metal having opposed sides and an intermediate side terminally joined to ends of the opposed sides, the side of the segment opposite the intermediate side being open. The free ends of the segments as well as their three side junctures are provided with fastener sections interconnectable to assemble the segments in any of various selected patterns or designs. Such fastener sections may also serve to interconnect peripheral segments with a channel frame, as in the manner later described. It is found particularly effective to provide each section with pairs of relatively larger and smaller eyelets which are interfittable with mating pairs of identical fastener sections of adjacent assembled segments by the insertion of pins within or through the mated sections.

The segments are useable to highly effective structural and variable design advantage by forming each of the identical sections with three arcuate, i.e., segmental circular, curvature having substantially 90 degree extent and curvature inwardly of the segment between the terminal fastener sections of each side. Employing segments so fashioned, they may be assembled in total designs varying from circular uniformity to a wide variety of curve and combined circular and otherwise curved configurations.

The invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of certain illustrative embodiments shown by the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are illustrative of the segments as- 3,390,506 Patented July 2, 1968 ice sembled in different selected framed patterns or designs;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlargement of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view showing one complete segment and its terminal connections with adjacent segments;

FIG. 6 is a section taken on line 66 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged section on line 77 of FIG. 4.

Referring first to FIG. 5, each individual segment generally indicated at 10, is shown to be made of bandshaped metal, see FIGS. 6 and 7, having opposed sides 11, and intermediate side 12 and what may be regarded as an open side at 13. The segment may be very practicably and economically formed as an integrated aluminum extrusion which may be anodized to any of various colors. The design and patterns configurations of FIGS. 1 to 3, as well as any other variations, are made possible by forming the segment sides 11 and 12 at degree inward arcuate curvature from the later described fastener centers. Such three side corresponding extent and curvature permit juncture of adjacent segments in patterns ranging from successive full circles to individual wavy or successive sinusoidal configurations.

The free end of one of the sides 11 is shown to have an integral fastener section 14 in the form of a relatively larger diameter split eyelet, the juncture of the same side with the intermediate side 12 having a corresponding split eyelet section 14a. The opposite side 11 and its juncture with the side 12 have integral split eyelet terminals 15 and 15a sufficiently smaller in diameter than the eyelets 14, 14a, as to be receivable therein in the interfitting relation shown. As illustrated in FIG. 6, each of the smaller diameter eyelet sections receives a locking pin or pair of pins 16. In some instances a single pin which is not headed or has a single head 17, may be used, or a pair of headed pins may be employed where it is desired to obtain at both sides of the screen the decorative effect of the head appearances as shown in FIG. 4.

The segment assemblage may be peripherally confined within a channel frame 18 which receives the segment free terminals. The latter may be secured to the channel by one or a pair of pins 19 extending through the channel sides into a larger or smaller diameter eyelet section as the case may be.

I claim:

1. A decorative screen segment formed of band-shaped metal and comprising opposed sides and an intermediate side integrally formed with ends of said opposite sides, the side of the segment opposite said intermediate side being open, terminal fastener sections integral with the free ends of said opposed sides, and corresponding intermediate fastener sections integral with the junctures of said intermediate side and the opposed sides, said fastener sections being adapted to be joined with fastener sections on an identically formed screen segment, said opposed and intermediate sides each having 90 arcuate curvature inwardly between said fastener sections and converging to mergers of their inner surfaces beyond which narrow continuances of the converged sides carry said intermediate fastener sections.

2. A screen segment according to claim 1, in which said fastener sections include a first pair of eyelet sections and a second pair of sections of a size receivable within the first pair.

3. A screen segment according to claim 2, in which said second pair of fasteners are of split eyelet form adapted to receive a locking pin.

4. The combination comprising a plurality of identical decorative screen segments as defined in claim 1, the fastener sections of one segment being joined with fastener sections of the other segments and the joined segments having curved band edge linearities throughout beyond the fastener locations.

5. The combination of claim 4, in Which a pair of the joined sections of the segments include a first eyelet section within which is received a second section, and a. pin having an exposed head and interconnecting the sections.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,036,671 5/1962 Seipos 52-663 3,144,881 8/1964 Sproul-l 52-663 3,214,874 11/1965 Roberts 52581 X BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner.

DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Examiner.

R. D. KRAUS, Assistant Examiner. 

